Dead Rangers Walking
by CheveronChick
Summary: After being chased by a pack of Orcs, a group of Rangers decides the best (and only) course of action is to run headlong into Mirkwood with only Aragorn's word that the elves won't let them die in there. Somehow, Aragorn is both correct and incorrect about his promise at the same times.
1. Chapter 1

The group of haggard and rundown rangers stumbled to a stop beside the stream, a few of them immediately throwing themselves onto the ground in exhaustion, all of their chests heaving for the air their lungs craved. The eldest of those present took in the sight of the others, and then glanced behind them nervously as if he might be able to see the large pack of orcs that had -been pursuing them for two days now.

They would never be able to fight off the pack and keep their lives, but Halbarad knew they would also not be able to keep running for much longer, and with their scent so entrenched in the Orcs nostrils they would never lose their trail. Aragorn, the youngest and newest of the group took it upon himself to fill everybody's water for them while they rested. Once finished with this task he scrambled up the closest tree without a word to anyone, and out of sight.

This was only his fourth time out with his fellow rangers, but Halbarad had to admit that he was impressed. Having grown up in the peaceful valley of Rivendell, the older ranger had expected the future Chieftain to be a bit soft, not as accustomed or prepared for long grueling days spent in remote countrysides and thick forests. Sometimes not getting any good food or rest for days upon days at a time, but so far he was fairing exceedingly better than all the other young rangers joining their first excursions.

He supposed he had the twins to thank for Aragorn's resilience and experience.

Aragorn climbed down the tree faster than he had climbed up and approached Halbarad hesitantly. At only 23 he had only been with his own people for three years, and it had taken Halbarad at least a year to get him to successfully break out of his shell. Even now, he did not often speak unless spoken too, and if he did speak first Halbarad had learned to pay careful attention to what he had to say.

"Yes?" He promoted when Aragorn stopped in front of him, but did not speak.

"They aren't much farther behind us, we should turn east, towards Greenwood, we can make it in a few hours if we press ourselves. We wait much longer and they'll catch us."

Before Halbarad could respond, Streth, the second oldest of the group broke in, "Mirkwood? We're trying to get away from the Orcs, not run straight towards hundreds of them."

Aragorn narrowed his eyes slightly in irritation, "_Greenwood, _not Mirkwood. The warriors there will help us, if we can get close enough to their borders before the Orcs reach us. If you don't call it Mirkwood, that is."

Streth pushed himself to his feet and came closer, "Mirkwood is not like Rivendell, boy. The ElvenKing does not care about humans, nor would he help us. I say we go north and try to reach the river, wash ourselves away until they lose our scent and our trail."

"Have you ever _asked_ the king for help? The current in the river will be too strong this time of year, all the runoff from the mountains will turn it into a death trap."

Halbarad pressed his lips together in careful thought, glancing between the two rangers in front of him, "And you are certain they will give us aid?"

Aragorn gave one solid nod, "Yes. I am certain, we just have to get close to their borders."

Streth's eyes bore flames as he continued to stare at Halbarad, "It is a bad idea. We are here to protect the young ones not throw them into a dark and haunted forest. They grew up swimming in lakes and rivers, they can make it."

But there was a certainty in Aragorn's eyes that reminded Halbarad so much of the boys father, and Arathorn was never wrong when he looked like that.

"We go to Greenwood." Halbard declared, ignoring the souring of Streths expression.

He knew his second did not agree with the choice, but he world not argue. He knew better than that. Rangers listened to those in charge, and they obeyed their commands the moment they were given. If they were to argue amongst themselves in times of peril or battle, it could cost lives.

"You heard him!" Streth barked to the other young rangers who were still sprawled on the ground, "Get up, get moving."

As his second walked away to further rouse the exhausted young ment, Halbarad turned his attention once more to Aragorn, "Their borders stretch far in both directions, is there a place we should be aiming for?"

"Close to Dul Guldur - but not too close - its the closest access to the Elven Road."

"You want us to run to Dul Guldur." Aragorn nodded, "Towards one of the darkest places on Arda, swarming with Orcs and other unpleasant beings that wish us harm." Aragorn nodded again.

"I have a friend that will be there, he will help us. Without question."

Halbarad was somewhat comforted by the certainty in Aragorn's voice, it matched his eyes, "Would he disobey his king's orders to do so?"

The young man's expression hardened at his words, "King Thranduil would never keep his people from helping others if they could, especially if they wanted to and could do it safely.. But even if he did, my friend would still help us, and his warriors would follow his lead."

"And if he is not there?"

"Then one of his close friends will be there in his stead, and they will also help us."

"Then we better get running, I suppose."

**0o0o0o0o0o**

They all approached the line of trees hesitantly, except for Aragorn, who insisted they were still on the Wood Elves side of the border, but no others were so sure. The darkness seemed to roll out of the underbrush like an invisible fog, and if he stared long enough, Halbarad could have sworn he saw secrets darting between the tree's.

There was something dizzying about the forest, and the idea of plunging headfirst into those dark and twisted trees nearly turned his stomach.

These trees were sick. They were Angry.

"Ignore it." Aragorn said to nobody in particular, as he continued searching the closest tree's for… something. "The feeling, push it to the back of your mind where it belongs."

He continued scrambling up and down the treeline, while the other gasped for breath and rest. "Ah, found you." The young ranger turned back to the rest, "This way."

Doing his best to obey the instructions and push the feeling as being as unwelcome as he ever had out of his mind, Halbarad came over and studied the tree for himself, "How can you tell?"

Aragorn cleared his throat, "Well, this tree was grown from the ElvenKing's planted crown. It's a sort of flag, I suppose, to those who know to notice it."

Not enjoying the gawking stares from the rest, Aragorn turned back to inspect the forest, "I do not think even the Golden Wood is steeped with as much magic as Greenwood. There are two very, very powerful forces continuously crashing against each other. It is hard to differentiate between them, especially if this is your first time experiencing it."

"Besides," He turned back to them briefly and then pointed upward to the trunk, "They carved the Silvan ruin for 'safe' into the tree."

Streth looked as if he might argue, and this time Halbarad might let him. But then a horn sounded not too far from behind them.

Aragorn began to lead the way "Come, and stay close."

**0o0o0o0o0**

Halbarad had always prided himself on his sense of direction. But in these woods, sometimes, it almost seemed hard to tell which way was up and down which way was down.

The trees moved like a river around him.

Changing but the same.

Repeating but different.

Underwater but solid ground.

Hadn't they come this way?

He didn't remember.

Everything looked the same.

**0p0o0o0o0o0**

Aragorn let his feet guide him the way in which they seemed to desire, checking back frequently to make sure none of the rangers had untied themselves from the rope.

Wanderers would not be tolerated.

Not when they could not feel the firm but kind pull of Thranduil's magic to keep rooted in sense and time, pulling them along the path he wanted them to take.

He always felt like a kite in the wind whenever he was too far from the Silvan Elves' home and light.

Now, here, it was imperative that part of his mind was always dedicated to keeping a hold of the string because even to him, at this distance, Thranduil's grasp was tenuous at best.

But the King would not lead him astray. Aragorn had faith.

The forest had more tricks than that.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

It seemed every breath was a third of what it should have been. The air was thick in a way he could barely understand enough to describe.

He glanced to where he thought might be up.

Every way he looked the trees looked the same. Even where his feet tread.

For all he knew, he could be walking on the sky.

Where were they going?

Something pulled him along.

**0o0o0o0o **

And then it happened.

Thranduil's grasp slipped as a tidal wave of what Aragorn could only call 'invisible darkness' struck them.

He stopped.

Legolas had made it very clear the first visit he had ever made to Greenwood that should he get lost, under absolutely no circumstances should he wander to try and find his way.

He got the same stern instructions every visit he made; and he might have been offended had he not witness Legolas lecturing his entire family simultaneously on the matter.

Including his father and Lord Glorfindel.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

He didn't remember where they were going.

He didn't remember where they came from.

He didn't remember….

He didnt…

He...

**0o0o0o0o**

Another soul reached out to his. Not as powerful, but much more familiar. Though, considering his relatively young age, it was a wonder he had enough magic to reach outside of his own body in the first place.

Legolas.

Compared to the unwavering hold of his father, Legolas' was positively shaky. Probably a combination of weaker magic and multitasking.

But he didn't let go as he began pulling Aragorn along a different way.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

Suddenly, like surfacing from the deepest pool all the weight that had been drowning him was lifted from every inch of Halbarad and he took the first, clear, crisp breath in what for all he knew had been days. Judging by the similarly deep breaths around him, the others felt the same.

Elves unlike any he had ever seen surrounded them, their colors so well suited to the forest he often did not notice them until they shifted.

After a few blinks and a shake of his head, clarity and reason seemed to claw their way back to their homes within his mind.

Aragorn was speaking with an elf that was taller than all the rest, and the only blond in a mass of dark hair. "Forgive me, Estel, for not coming to find you sooner." He turned crystal blue eyes on Halbarad, and then quickly over the rest, "I know how difficult our woods can be for mortals."

Had he not felt like he had drank and entire barrel of Ale to himself without getting any sleep for the past nine days only minutes ago, Halbard might have been offended.

"I think I'm the one who should be apologizing, for bringing so many more Orcs to your lands."

A few of the Elves standing around laughed, and an Elleth balanced perfectly atop a suspiciously thin branch said, "Whats a hundred more amongst twenty thousand?"

"They are no more, regardless." Said the tall blond one, after a brief glance upwards at the Elleth, "Are any of you wounded?"

Aragorn took it upon himself to answer for the collective, "Only minor wounds. Nothing that needs to be addressed with haste."

The elf nodded, "That is good then, for here is no place for any of you to find rest-" Around them every single elf went statue still, focusing on something Halbarad could not see, hear, or sense. The blond elf flicked a hand to the left, and eight elves vanished into the forest without hesitation or a word. "Can you feel him from here?"

He flicked his other hand and several others came forward in that unnaturally quick way of elves that could still not be described as hurrying, pushing pieces of bread into the hands of those coherent enough to eat it on their own. And putting it in the mouths of those who weren't.

Halbarad must have landed somewhere between the two because the elf who put it in his hand waited to see if he would eat it on his own, which he did. He knew when to agree with elves.

Still others took it upon themselves to refill the waterskins Halbarad hardly remembered even owning while Aragorn nodded, "Sometimes it's hard, but yes. I can feel him again."

"Here," Reaching underneath his shirt the blond elf pulled a cord with a carved tree from around his neck and slipped it over his head and held it out to Aragorn, "It'll be easier for him to find you with this."

The young man looked down at it with wide eyes and then looked back to the elf, "Are you sure? Legolas, I know what it's purpose-"

"I'll be fine. Fear not, little one, I do not plan on dying today." He paused again, listening. "We must leave you now. Follow the path our King sets before your feet and all will be well."

"Will I see you later? Will you come to the stronghold?"

With kind eyes and a gentle hand the elf gently touched the bottom of Aragorn's face, "I will try but I cannot make any promises."

The man nodded, "If not, it was good to see you. Even if it was hardly long enough to even say hello."

The blond elf said, eyes alight with humor, "Hello," before he vanished into the treetops in a flash and a grin.

The rest of the elves disappeared just as quickly.

And like he was being pulled underwater, the thickness returned.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

The pendant was nearly warm against his skin, as if Thranduil literally had his hand curled around it, pulling him along the path that his elves made safe for them to travel.

The woods changed as much as it's people, and never once had Aragorn walked along the same Elven Road.

The only ones that seemed to stay the same were the ones the elves favored, their favorite paths weaving around their mountain home.

How easy would it be to be led astray in these woods?

Lead to 'safety' by the wrong hand?

The heat in the carving flared, and oddly the burn nearly felt the same as the sting from Thranduil's glare.

Definitely the right hand, then. There was something about the ElvenKing he was sure not even Sauron could duplicate.

It was touching to know that Thranduil had taken enough interest in guiding him to notice the change in his mind or thoughts. Even if it was only to take offense.

Somehow the warmth against his chest became more reassuring.

They were well on their way.

Soon.

**0o0o0o**

They stumbled out of the forest before a river with a slender bridge leading across it decorated with the stone likeness of tree's, even as the roots of real tree's curled around them. Aragorn stopped to let them collect themselves.

Halbarad shook his head to clear it. "Valar."

It was almost alarming how quickly the confusion was sent scampering from his body with all the lead weight that came with it whenever elves were involved.

Elves.

Somehow always equal parts alarming and fascinating.

He turned to count and inspect the other rangers, he had not come all this way to leave a boy in those woods. To Aragorn's credit, the rope had been a good and useful idea.

Streth recounted and inspected each one of them just in case.

The door on the other side of the bridge banged open, and one single elf came to stand in the doorway but did not go further.

Aragorn appeared far less concerned about what they had all just experienced, and almost seemed to smile, "Come on, food and warm beds aren't far now."

The river raged below them as they crossed and he couldn't help but wish that elvers weren't so sure footed and that they didn't mind narrow walkways over such things.

The elf who waited for him was much plainer than Halbarad had anticipated. He wore nothing but simple black clothes, his dark hair remained straight and unbraided and he didn't even seem to have the suggestion of a weapon.

The elf smiled at them, but Aragorn in particular, "I know that humans stop growing sooner than Elves, but Estel, I swear, you've gotten bigger."

He laughed, "According to the twins I've gotten 'wider' over time."

The elf tilted his head to the side and inspected him again, "Perhaps thats it. Regardless, the King will be glad that he can finally tell Legolas to relax and stop pestering him, on account of your safe arrival." He stood straight again and then turned to the rest of them, "Welcome to the Woodland realm, I am Galion. I fear, for you, that you will probably be seeing me often while you're here."

"Thank you for everything you've done for us." Halbarad said, but Galion seemed to wave it away without a moving

"I do nothing but serve food, pour drinks and deliver messages. I do not need or deserve any gratitude, I suspect at least one of you will be seeing the King later. In fact, I'm certain of it." He turned on his heel, "Come, to the healers and then to fill you with food and stuff you in a warm bed."

Somehow the inside of the mountain seemed to have more life inside it than the forest around it. Great tree's grew underground with huge canopy's covering huge portions of where a rock ceiling would be.

Even so he could make out a few beams of light.

All around various mosses or jems and very occasionally torches made everything far more open than he had ever expected it to. From seemingly everywhere music rang in various forms, including many birds.

And then they turned in a way where he could no longer see the great open spaced.

**0o0o0o0**

It was late when Galion appeared in his room to wake him.

Expecting as much, Aragorn hadn't bothered to get undressed. Or perhaps hadn't had the energy to.

"Sorry to interrupt your sleep."

He stumbled out of bed, hitting his toe on something he hadn't seen since Galion had no need for a light with the window open.

Elves.

"It's alright, I can sleep later. I doubt the King will be available later."

"A fair assumption." Apparently Galion wasn't in a talkative mood because that's all he said as he led Aragorn down the hall from where the rangers had been clustered together under an incredibly watchful guard and towards Thranduil and Legolas' shared living space.

He knocked, once, and either heard a call to enter that Aragorn didn't, or didn't care about one because he opened the door without hesitation.

The sitting room was empty, but light glowed warmly from Legolas' open bedroom door. Aragorn's heart leapt in his chest, he had hoped to see his dear friend again. But did not think he did not think he would actually be able to.

Without pausing Galion entered the bedroom, probably expecting Aragorn to follow.

"The stray human you requested, my King, my Prince." And then he left.

Legolas looked over to Aragorn from where he sat on a chair, leaning his left side onto the back of if and leaving his own bare back to face his father.

Had Aragorn not known about Elven hearing and senses, or anything about the ElvenKing in general, he might have assumed Thranduil had not heard Galion for all the interest and reaction he gave. His eyes remained focused entirely on Legolass back, face set in a grim determination.

Legolas smiled at him, until Thranduil shifted and the grin turned into more of a grimace than anything.

It seemed he could count out both hands how many times he had seen the twins injured, collectively. But Aragorn was fairly certain he could count on one hand all the times he had seen Legolas _without_ an injury. "Legolas, are you alright?"

Admittedly, he usually saw him after they had already been cleaned and stitched.

Again Thranduil moved his hands and Legolas almost winced, "I'll be fine."

Out of instinct Aragorn looked to Thranduil's face to tell if Legolas was lying, since he was the one looking at the wound, and Legolas would probably lie about being fine until the day it finally killed him. But the King was just as intent in his work as before.

So he looked back to his friend, "Shouldn't you being letting a healer do that? In the healing ward?"

"Why?" He winced again, "There is nothing they could do for me there that Ada has not done or will so doe me here."

"Really?"

Without a change of expression or wave in concentration Thranduil said, "Yes, not all of us are as terrible at giving straight and even stitches as my son."

"Hey! I'm not that bad!" And then Legolas almost yelped, "Ow."

Thranduil stilled, "Don't. Move." He waited for Legolas to take a deep breath and then adjust himself against the back of the chair, he continued his work once Legolas nodded, "And I have a scar on my right arm that would argue with your offense."

Legolas rolled his eyes, "He never forgets."

Thranduil almost smiled, "Not a thing."

"I needed to talk to you about something Estel-"

"And apparently," Thranduil interrupted with some annoyance, throwing near handfuls of red and black stained bandages into the nearby garbage bin. Blood and venom. And needles. "It could not wait."

Rumor had it, the anti-venom had to be injected directly to the wound for it to be effective. Nobody in Imladris had ever seen it happen, and Greenwood had been reluctant so far to divulge their recipe.

Legolas gave absolutely no indication that he had heard his father speak, perhaps the only creature on the earth with the ability to do that, "When we came upon those orcs that chased you, I think you ought to know that they were hired to find someone."

He gasped again, but this time time somehow it was so much worse. This time it was Thranduil who winced, "I'm sorry, little leaf, this one is deep."

"No, it's fine Ada." He took a moment to compose himself, and a small shudder traveled his body, "Avaleina warned me when she dressed it."

But the King didn't continue.

Instead he set down his stools and walked around the chair to see Legolas' face, and said something in the old Silvan language that most of the world thought had long gone extinct.

Legolas laughed and said something else Aragorn was purposefully meant to not understand, and then said once more in Sindarin, "You worry too much."

Thranduil returned back around the chair, and picked up his utensils and resumed his work, "I'm a King, it is quite literally in my job description."

And Legolas resumed being the only person perhaps legally allowed in Greenwood to ignore his father, "A man named Halbarad."

Aragorn's stomach by-passed his feet and fell out of his entire body. All of his blood seem to fall with it. "What?"

"Ava and I thought you might react that way and so she has ordered her warriors to speak 'loudly' about the unfortunate demise of the humans who entered the forest. Killed by some stray Warg pack before we could find them."

He blinked, "I don't understand."

"We are not the only one with ears in this forest, child," Thranduil answered matter of factly, but not unkindly as he began to apply creams to the wounds, "Speak loudly about something you don't want the enemy to overhear and soon enough word will reach him."

Legolas continued for his father, "It is easy enough to fake a death here, if nothing sees you leave, who's to say you even did?"

"I… still don't understand."

"You cannot hunt for something that is not alive."

"I hope this isn't your way of telling me I'm about to die."

"Do you think we have lived so long here and not created other ways out that even our forest cannot see?" Thranduil clicked his tongue, and Legolas clicked his own back with a badly suppressed smirk.

Thranduil stilled long enough to glare at the back of his son's head, "You're getting too good at that."

Legolas laughed, something Aragorn would never dare after such a tone, and clicked it perfectly again and winked at Aragorn, "Practice. We'll sneak you out and into Dale, where you'll all just become another human amongst a crowd and leave just the same."

"So you're going to _fake_ our deaths?"

"Yes."

"But why Halbarad?"

Legolas paused, and Thranduil took the opportunity to speak, "Tell the boy, he is a man amongst his people and now is not the time for half truths."

Legolas glared upwards and made an irritated grunting sound deep in his throat, and Thranduil almost smiled again. "Because they think he knows here Isildur's heir is."

And just like that, all the blood that had just painstakingly crawled back inside him left again, and he went cold. "But that's me."

For perhaps the first time since he came into the room, he seemed to have gotten Thranduil's entire attention. But like the hand that had so painstakingly guided him all day, it was only firm but kind. "Yes, child, it is, and it always will be. You did not ask to be, nor perhaps do you deserve all the implications that come with being his heir but I can assure you it is better to to put thought into what exactly that means now, and how you feel, before the weight of it crushes you beneath it."

Legolas smiled at him reassuringly, "And you will always have your friends and family to help keep you un-flattened."

Thranduil's attention returned to his son as he began to wrap his wounds, "But those things are not needed to be faced tonight and probably should not be. Those are things to be faced carefully over time."

Feeling somewhat defeated, Aragorn found a comfortable enough looking chair to collapse into.

A warmth spread through his chest from the necklace he had entirely forgotten he had been wearing, sympathetic and knowing, and distinctly reassuring. Aragorn could honestly not tell which royal elf it had come from.

They really were quite alike at times.

"Do you really think you can trick him like that?"

Thranduil shrugged, securing the wrapping tightly, "Maybe not forever, it depends how much effort you put into continuing the charade. But if i have learned anything from my son during this wretched age, it's that sometimes temporary solutions to permanent problems is alright. And I'm sure you're father and brothers will have much to say on the matter as well."

Aragorn couldn't think of much to do but sigh and tilt his head back against the headrest and close his eyes.

The wood continued to nearly glow against his skin and this time Aragorn knew it was Thranduil. He had never felt the same terror as his brothers when it came to the ElvenKing, in most of his experience Thranduil had never given him a reason too.

"It is late, and I know you two will get spend a few hours talking yet, and so I will leave you."

Aragorn opened his eyes and looked up to find that Legolas he struggled into a shirt and his father had apparently finished brushing out his hair from where it had been tied up. Leaning down, Thranduil kissed his son on the cheek, "Goodnight, little leaf. Sleep well, I will be in the next room should you need me during the night. I love you."

Legolas smiled "I love you too Ada, thank you."

Scrambling to his feet Aragorn spoke next, having completely forgotten in light of the happenings, "Thank you, my King. For all of your time, effort, and assistance today."

"The Woodland Realm will always be happy to do what we can to support you, Heir of Isildur. You must but only ask."

Has anybody else said it, Aragorn might have thought they had done it simply to be nice. But Thranduil had never been nor would he probably ever be over my concerned with being 'nice' simply for the sake of it.

The offer was the truth. A promise.

The implication of it nearly stole his breath, since Greenwood could scarcely even call itself and ally to the other Elven realms.

Thankfully, Thranduil didn't wait for Aragorn to think of a response before he left the room and closed the door behind himself.

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

Halbarad was just about to start worry about the young man's absence when he arrived back at their rooms. Having, apparently, spent the night elsewhere.

Galion had already appeared several times already to bring them breakfast and their freshly cleaned clothes. As well as anything supplies they might need for their packs, for apparently they were to be leaving the elves today.

Aragorn came over to him, "Could I speak to you in private?"

Not once since he had joined them had Aragorn every asked for such a thing, and so quickly Halbarad led him into one of the empty bedrooms and closed the door firmly behind them both. "Yes?"

The boy looked exceedingly uncomfortable. "The Orcs that were chasing us were specifically chasing you, because somebody who can control them believes you are one of the last on Arda to know where the heir of Isildur is. The Elves have begun to spread a rumor that we all perished in the forest overnight, and they plan to smuggle us to Dale so that we might blend in and leave no room for the enemy to question anything."

Halbarad blinked. Well that certainly wasn't what he had been expecting to hear, "And who told you such a thing?"

"My friend."

"And why should I believe your friend to be a trustworthy source?"

He didn't have anything against the Silvan Elves specifically, but he certainly did not trust them as he would any elf from Rivendell. Especially not the word of some mysterious friend.

Aragorn's expression soured. "Because he is Prince Legolas Thranduilion and if he wanted us dead or tragedy to befall us, it would have happened by now. He is the last Elven Prince on Arada and well deserves to be. If you cannot trust the wore of one such as he, than you should not trust mine, for I hold him in the highest regard in all matters."

Halbarad looked him up and down, but found him just as sure and unrelenting about the choice to arrive at Greenwood at all. "And the King plans to help us, expecting nothing in return?"

"It was likely the King's idea."

He and Elrond had feared some force might come for him one day, fortunate that it happened around one who could so easily invent a solution. "Very well, if you trust them, Aragorn. So do I. Besides, I've always liked the tales of the Rangers whose spirits refused go stop roaming the lands even after their deaths. I find it immensely satisfying to be one of them, even if it is only a lie."


	2. Chapter 2

Gandalf was deeply displeased with the suggestion, Aragorn was very aware of that. But he was equally displeased with the fact that Gollum had been trying to gnaw at his shoulder blade for the last two days.

They all had to make sacrifices.

And with the stupid creature wailing like he tended to do, some servant of evil was going to hear him. They needed to get him somewhere where the swirling darkness within him wouldn't serve as a beacon to the enemy. They needed help.

Gandalf still hadn't stopped frowning since he had spoken, "Your optimism is touching, Aragorn. But Thranduil is not your father and he does not help as willingly, not if it does not gain him something. Especially not for something like this."

He just crossed his arms, ignoring the way Gollum continued to struggle in his sack at his feet. Never would he allow himself to forget Thranduil's promise to him: _The Woodland Realm will always be happy to do what we can to support you, Heir of Isildur, you must but only ask. _

Aragorn knew very well that Greenwood did not have allies like most Kingdoms, or most anybody during a war. No, Greenwood had friends.

And for some reason unknown to him, either you were Greenwood's friend or you were seemingly unaware that they were capable of having them.

Yet, he knew Radagast kept in close contact with the Silvan folk. Even going so far as to gather herbs and healing medicines for them should he find them. Legolas had taken him to the wizard's house a few times, and even if he was not home his friend had been able to find him within the forest without any searching at all, so connected the Wizard must have been to the forest.

Beorn kept a watchful eye for the people of the woods, and according to Legolas had saved their lives on many occasions. Including Legolas' own. He came to the battle of the mountain just upon hearing the news of the danger the Woodland Realm was facing.

The Eagles often brought word to them about the movements of the enemy and had apparently also offered their services several times to carry large amounts of wounded elves home. Supposedly, they also just liked to visit their Elven friends at random.

Or so it had been explained to him one summer when he had arrived to find five huge eagles perched in the sunlight on top of their mountain.

The human towns grew and sold extra crops to them every year, and traded for what they could not grow. Some such as Laketown were much more involved than that. Some had been in contact for hundreds of years, most of them needed the elves to cure falsely created plagues sent by Sauron. Some had known the elves for eight or nine generations.

It had also recently come to his attention that the Avari had, apparently, been a constant companion throughout the ages. The people were so reclusive that neither his father nor Gondor had any information on them. Nothing except what Aragorn and his brothers had experienced in Legolas' company near a decade ago.

But he couldn't tell Gandalf any of this because he must have proved himself unworthy of Greenwood's friendship. And it appeared that Aragorn had yet to reach the same fate. And he did not intend to.

So he settled for, "Legolas will help us if I ask him to."

Gandalf did not look any more convinced, and for reasons he didn't quite understand that irritated him.

Aragorn crossed his arms, "You doubt him, and his heart? All the centuries you have known Legolas, and you think he would not help? That he would not shelter us for even a few days? Business with the dwarves or no, he is still Legolas. And he is one of the kindest people I have ever met."

Gandalf held up his hands for peace looking mildly surprised. At least his facial expression finally changed. "It was not Legolas I was doubting."

That didn't help ease Aragorn's temper. "Who was it that raised Legolas, do you think? Who raised him to have a heart so soft and soul so caring? With the desire to help everything he can? Who do you think he got that from?"

But Gandalf opinion would not be swayed. He knew the wizard well enough to see that in the glint in his eyes, and so he just slung the creature over his shoulder once more.

He understood more than ever why Legolas just preferred to never speak of his father.

"Do not come then, but that is where I am going. Goodbye, Gandalf. I'm sure I will see you in Imladris once I return."

Without a glance back Aragorn set out towards the woods, ignoring the way Gollum kicked at his back in a futile attempt at escape. Sooner or later he would start screaming again.

He wasn't sure if he was surprised or not when Gandalf eventually turned up again several hours later and continued the trek with him, "If I die in this forest, I am going to be very unhappy with you."

"I can live with that."

**. **

"This is not the Elven Road. It is still farther south." Gandalf said, his first words in hours. He did not like losing.

Aragorn knew it was only his love for the Hobbit Frodo that kept him from wandering away on another mysterious mission.

Or just away from Thranduil.

Gandalf would not leave until he knew Gollum would be somewhere the enemy could not find him again. Where he could not send any more evils after the little thing.

"That has not been the Elven Road for nearly forty years. Honestly, I'm not convinced it was still the Elven Road when you sent the dwarves and Mister Bilbo down it."

At least he had the decency to look a bit disgruntled at the information. "That was their road for hundreds of years!"

"Yes," Aragorn agreed easily, elbowing Gollum away from his shoulder blades again, "It was. But now it is constantly changing how they need it to." The treeline was finally slowly growing visible around the early morning fog, "It's also harder to ambush them that way."

Gandalf seemed to mull the information over, "Then how do you plan to find the Elven road?"

His thoughts strayed idly to the pendant around his neck, the one Legolas gave him before he left when he had dragged a reluctant group of rangers into the woods. "You have to know what to look for, I suppose."

"And then what?"

"And then you trust."

Gandalf's face liked that even less. "In who, exactly?"

"You're Gandalf, so I suppose you will trust in yourself." Gollum wailed as if sensing the approaching darkness and Aragorn set him on the ground. He stretched his arms and allowed Gandalf a moment to contemplate the forest.

"I, on the other hand, will put my trust in Legolas and King Thranduil. And if not them, then every other elf breathing within the Woodland Realm. And if not them, then the tree's to at least do their best. I do hope your best is as good as their collective best."

Reaching down he quickly undid the tie in the sack and yanked it open and allowed Gollum to spill out of it, he grabbed the creatures spindly arm and then the back of his neck before he could even figure out which way was up.

It wasn't tight enough to hurt him, but had they not been this close to the forest he knew the creature would have faked near killing pain. But even he had the sense to stay silent. For once.

For the first time in weeks, Aragorn spoke in something other than Elvish. "We are going into this forest if you like it or not."

"We do not like it, filthy man." He creatures choked out what came to be his name, "Why does the man speak only like one of _them. _Why does the man have so many secrets, precious?"

"Well we are going in, so I would suggest you be silent because the spiders and the Wargs will eat you just as well as they will me if you are in the sack or not."

And then he pulled the sack back over Gollums head and scooped him back into it. After several weeks of trying to keep him on some sort of leash, it became clear this was the only option for maintaining any semblance of speed.

"For once." Gandalf said, still in Elvish, "The creature and I are in agreement. Let's go then."

**0.0.0.**

They were in the forest for hardly two minutes before an attentive but metaphoric gaze took notice of them.

Well, not them.

Gandalf felt as is slid smoothly over him without a second glance and fixed holey on Aragorn.

Interesting.

Between his own protective barriers to shield himself from unwanted eyes and whatever shields of their own the gaze had, Gandalf could not tell who's specific attention it was that they had attracted.

But Aragorn did not seem alarmed, comforted in fact, and so Gandalf tried to calm himself.

The Sindar elves had always been far more unpredictable for him and his fellow Maia (aside, perhaps, Radagast and Melian) since they differed so much from the Elves they had grown accustomed to I Aman. And then he had met the Silvan elves.

And they were so much worse.

He cleared his throat, "Well, are you going to lead the way then?"

Adjusting Gollum for the sixty-ninth time that hour, Aragorn began forwards in the exact opposite direction Gandalf would have chosen.

He followed anyway. "Are you certain this is the way?"

He didn't glance back. "Yes."

Well, at least Aragorn _sounded _certain. But this way seemed hardly more than a suggestion of a deer's path. This also took them in the exact direction near every sense in his body told him not to go.

He hesitated. Gandalf was many things, but used to trusting the words of others over himself was not one of them.

This time, Aragorn did turn back. "It's just the forest. It's a spell. Ignore the feeling and put it to the back of your mind." The tree's around them groaned and swayed, and then like snakes slithering in the grass the roots began to realign themselves to make the trail more of a real path.

Aragorn watched with satisfaction and began to walk down the path once more, "See?"

There was none that could have the power of persuasion in this forest aside from an Elf to convince the tree's to move so dramatically. It had to be the right road, then.

Gandalf felt the eye turn away from them, it seemed smug.

**.0.0**

It was important to come to a stop. Of that much, Aragorn had understood. He just didn't understand why.

But he trusted.

The forest played fewer tricks with his mind with Gandalf around, and for that he was grateful. It also seemed easier for Thranduil to keep a grasp of the necklace Legolas had made for him, not once so far had the King lost him amongst the darkness.

"What's wrong?" The wizard demanded behind him, glancing around nervously.

The necklace still seemed reassuring, and so Aragorn said, "We are in no immediate danger."

"Then why are we stopping?"

"Because it feels like we should."

Gandalf looked at him as though he had grown a second head, "It has felt that way since the very moment we entered this forest. What is the difference now?"

"The difference is that now its King Thranduil that's telling us to stop and not a spell."

"Now how on Arda has Thranduil managed to do that? I do not see him, or hear him-"

As if sensing the wizard's questions, Aragorn felt a flash of annoyance that somehow felt exactly how it looked when Thranduil rolled his eyes. Then, like some sort of lantern or beacon, a surge of the same very strict feeling of wanting to stop all movement beam out of the necklace with staggering glory.

It made his feet seem like weights, and the idea of walking a single step seemed to take every ounce of energy he had ever possessed.

It seemed downright impossible.

And then like a breeze it passed.

Gandalf blinked in surprise and turned his full attention to Aragorn. "I'm curious as to why I've traveled with a man, yet now all I sense from you is Legolas, but Thranduil is the one to send commands."

So that's how Legolas had done it.

He had fitted a tiny bit of himself into the necklace. No wonder Thranduil could pay such acute attention to it, he would be able to find his son anywhere in the world.

Figuring that it did not matter any longer if Gandalf knew about the necklace or not since Thranduil had used it to his advantage, Aragorn pulled it out from his shirt.

Gandalf laughed.

He walked over to take a closer inspection of it, taking it lightly from Aragorn's grasp. The necklace flashed with a sense of white-hot anger that burned at the wizard's mind like a lump of burning coal against paper and Gandalf immediately let it go. He laughed again. "A clever charm, Legolas. A clever charm."

Aragorn thought briefly about asking what the charm was and how it worked, but had long since given up trying to get answers about magic that made any semblance of sense. There were some things in this world that it was just better not to ask about.

An echoed screamed of….somthing…. dying rang through the trees and made the same silence that had surrounded them earlier seem all the more suffocating.

More desperate.

More fake.

Every sense in his body was screaming for him to run, to flee away from the danger. It was very nearly overpowering.

Thranduil seemed to take a keen interest in this, and the same exhaustion as before flooded into his bloodstream and kept the adrenaline from clouding his mind, and kept his feet rooted in their spot. He sent a silent thanks to the King.

Thranduil waved it away.

Another scream echoed through the forest. Closer this time.

Much closer.

The adrenaline roared to life again, but this time Thranduil's presence was nearly physical, like he was standing right behind Aragorn with a comforting and stilling hand on his shoulder. "_Trust me, Estel." _

He forced his feet to stay still. Forced himself to ignore the screaming in his mind that told him there was an enemy too great for him to face rushing headlong through the trees.

He could almost see the thousands of eyes blinking at him from the darkness.

Then around them the trees began to change once more, and Thranduil's presence slowly faded, leaving even Aragorn's necklace empty.

Moving and shifting as easily as any human might, the trees began slowly closing in around them. They wound their branches into one another and curved some of their roots up and out of the soil, creating a fairly effective wooden wall once they rustled still once more. The branches above them turned down and encapsulated them completely in darkness.

So thick was the foliage that Aragorn couldn't even see a glint of anything beyond the branches.

But he could hear something.

He could hear the sound of crashing in the underbrush and scuttling in the branches, he felt a deep and cold dread assault his skin. Like all the cold and ice in the world was trying to find a home inside him.

It grew. And grew. And grew until his mind was numb with it.

And then warmth burst from the necklace, different than anything he had felt from Thranduil. It was much too weak to be the Elvenking. And it was not familiar enough to be Legolas, his friend was an incredibly distinct creature in all aspects, and the personality had none of the distinctions.

But this touch was still kind and gentle, it felt like the summer sun had been bottled just for him to fight the dread that still weighed heavily on his heart. Another Silvan elf, then. Probably one of Thranduil's captains that were closest to this part of the forest.

The elf's soul aggressively rang throughout his body, beating back every ounce of dread or evil it could find. Sending it back out to the trees and to the creatures that sent it.

Thranduil must have told his people to keep an eye on them. That, or they had felt a second 'Legolas' enter their forest and assumed who it was.

In his sack, Gollum shook with terror. Sensing the evil and the anger just as well as the other two.

And then the rustling stopped, the dread lifted and the trees slowly began to unwind themselves from their barrier. The elf sent one last flood of goodwill and cheer, allowing Aragorn to feel their exact pinpointed location in the forest.

Which was thankfully corralling the danger away from them. Slowly the magic faded.

Aragorn felt the keeping of his pendent being passed from the warrior elf and back to Thranduil, the difference between the two Fae's sliding against his own felt nearly tangible. Aragorn felt the tail end of a joke pass through the bond he and his pendant were currently smack down in the middle of.

Then the other elf faded from his senses completely, and he was once again left in the care of the ElvenKing.

An overheard branch dropped a thick leather bag between the two of them. Fresh food and waterskins spilled out.

"Well," Gandalf said to nobody in particular, as a clear path began to open up before them once again, "I suppose there are worse elves to put our trust in."

**.**

Gandalf didn't need Aragorn to tell him to stop walking this time. Even without a charmed pendant and direct connection to Thranduil, Gandalf could tell when Elves were near and when he had their full attention.

They might not have been taking the path he was used to, but even Gandalf knew there was no way they were close enough to encounter stray elves. A messenger then, it seemed likely.

Like an incredibly maintained immaculate nest, Thranduil was careful that there was never a single elf out of place where they might get hurt. This part of the woods is _exactly_ where they could get hurt.

He hoped it was Legolas.

"Just let me do all of the talking," Aragorn said, and Gandalf raised an eyebrow at him. After all this time, Aragorn was more than happy to have Gandalf do all of their communication throughout their travels. Until, apparently, today.

They both came to a stop, and he wished he felt as relaxed about the entire ordeal as Aragorn looked.

A single Elleth appeared out of the tree's, though, Gandalf knew she would be far from alone. He hoped that the rest of her patrol was just stationed nearby, and not watching with a collective 60 pairs of eyes from the branches.

Gandalf knew he had seen her amongst Thranduils' court on many visits to the forest, and she had accompanied Legolas on a fair few the Prince's visits to Imladris but he wasn't able to recall her name.

He honestly wasn't sure if he had ever known it.

The thought had never much occurred to him, but now he desperately wished that he did. He knew enough about the Greenwood army uniforms to know she was one of its Captains. But that's all the information he could find with sight.

He tentatively reached out to see if he could feel anything from within her, but was unsurprised that her soul was about as forthcoming as an unresponsive rock. She turned cool and calculating green eyes to him at the inspection, but did not verbally address it. She appraised him for several long seconds, before her attention slid over to Aragorn.

Her eyes and expression softened considerably, if subtlety, "You have brought us a gift, Estel. What is it?"

"I do not think I would call it a gift, a favor perhaps. A task. But it's not a gift."

Gandalf looked at the human out of the corner of his eye, finding him as confident as ever. He wouldn't have been that blunt about their circumstances if it were him, but he had been told to keep his mouth shut. And so he did.

A ghost of a smile touched her lips, "A favor for you, or a favor for somebody else? Greenwood is not in the business of favors."

"A favor for me. I need the Woodland Realms help, I need your Kings help. Hopefully, he will be inclined to do so once he hears our story."

Her eyes returned once more to Gandalf, and he could almost feel Thranduil examining the situation unfolding through a connection with the elleth standing before them. It was always unsettling to him, the plethora of things the Silvan elves could do through their connection to the trees.

Never before had he ever met a more uniformly connected people.

Thranduil must have been satisfied that the situation was under control, because his attention seemed to drift away again, Gandalf could tell that it had focused on something beyond them.

Leaving even Aragorn's pendant abandoned.

He felt a piece of the Elleth drift that way too, trailing behind her king and flowing beneath Gandalfs feet like she was being transported by the roots of the tree's themselves.

Maybe she was.

"It is a great darkness you carry Estel, we feel the weight of it on the hearts of our tree's. An evil almost as great as the spiders, yet not as malicious, though just as hateful. A riddle, you have brought us, I think."

"Not a riddle," Aragorn said matter of factly, reaching once more for the sack that rested at his feet which contained Gollum who had gone completely still after sensing the presence of an elf. Gandalf felt Thranduil shoo the tiny piece of the elleth away from where it had wandered, and back to her body.

Not one single outward reaction was shown.

Aragorn untied the sack and reached for the creature, popping only half of him out. Gollum recoiled in a manner that was so telling of his disgust and hatred that Gandalf could almost taste it. "Gollum."

Her eyes widened by a fraction of an inch, and one eyebrow raised higher to her hairline. The fact that Thranduil's attention slammed back to them was more telling of her shock or discomfort by the situation than anything physical would be.

She peeled her eyes away from the creature and back to Aragorn. Gollum continued to strain against the indecision of making sure the world knew how much he detested the elf, and every survival instinct Eru had graced him with. "You think your explanation will satisfy the King?"

Aragorn shrugged, "If it doesn't, he can toss us all into sacks and then into barrels and send us all to Dale. I'll only struggle a little bit."

Leave it to the human to make jokes about the exact thing Gandalf would literally rather cut off his right arm than be forced to talk about in front of Thranduil or his people.

The elleth scoffed a laugh, "If the King decided to toss you into a sack, and into a barrel, I do not think any amount of struggling against it would affect the outcome in the slightest."

"No, it absolutely wouldn't." Aragorn agreed.

Having probably decided on a course of action, most of Thranduil strayed away again.

She gestured for Aragorn to cover Gollum up again, "I will take him home on the waterways, our rafts are not built for creatures as heavy as you two, but him it will support."

Gratefully, as if the worst punishment Eru could conjure was finally over, Aragorn handed over the sack the moment it was tied shut again. Gollum began to struggle with renewed and rabid enthusiasm.

The elleth seemed just as pleased about the arrangement. "Galion will see you at the bridge. Follow the path and the directions, you'll be there soon."

Aragorn placed a hand over his heart and bowed with respect, "You have my thanks, Avaleina."

"Ugh," She replied, sniffing noticeably as she turned away and towards the tree's, "But also your horrific smelling sack."

Inwardly, Gandalf sighed. He was looking forward to seeing Galion even less than Thranduil.

The things he did for hobbits.

**.**

Just as Avaleina had said, Galion somehow knew to emerge from the doors the same time Aragorn's foot stepped out of the treeline. He seemed disinclined to meet them halfway, and instead settled for crossing his arms over his chest and watched them cross the bridge.

Aragorn himself had never witnessed the awe-inspiring and unstoppable force that was Galion when he wanted to be, but judging by the scarps of information he had gathered of his friend's life, it sounded like Gandalf had the unfortunate pleasure of that very thing on many occasions.

The older he grew to be, the more thankful Aragorn became that he seemed so firmly set in Legolas' good graces. And by extension, Thranduil, Galion, and the rest of Greenwood.

Aragorn watched as a few of the guards behind the attendant exchanged amused glances, and the few of the ones left inside repositioned themselves for a better vantage point.

"The King is busy," Galion said by way of greeting to both.

Then to Aragorn, he said warmly, "Estel, we've prepared your usual room for you. A bath is already prepared, your favorite stew is probably now on its way."

And then to Gandalf, with ice in his voice and fire in his eyes, "And how about you Mithrandir? What space do you think you deserve to be gifted by our King? Since you did not want so much as a single word from him the last time we saw you, the Dragon cast a large shadow, but not strong enough to cover you. Tell me, specifically, what you think you deserve?"

One of the guards seemed to nearly burst with the effort of not reacting to the words, and Aragorn was certainly glad it was not himself that was expected to respond. He could only assume Gandalf felt similarly aghast.

And then somebody else emerged from the mountain, Avaleina, strolling casually through the impenetrable barrier Galion's temper seemed to erect. Unfazed but knowing better than to interrupt before being spoken to, she stood next to Galion. Aragorn tried to catch Gandalf gaze so that he could convey exactly how lucky his friend had just gotten.

But Galion wouldn't look away from Gandalf, in fact, he prompted harshly, "Well?"

"I deserve whatever your King sees fit to give me."

Galion rolled his eyes and gave one final seething glare to Gandalf before turning to Avaleina, "What?"

"The King calls for you, I'm to show our guest and Mithrandir where they'll be staying for the night."

Galion tutted lightly, "He doesn't trust me."

Avaleina crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, but wisely kept a smarter comment bit back, "You know the King better than I."

Galion turned back to Gandalf with a last withering once-over, "You're lucky Thranduil is the King and not I." He looked back to Aragorn one final time, and the warmth returned. "It is good to see that you are still well, Estel. I hope the other walking dead are as well."

Turning on his heel, he stalked inside. Avaleina watched him go with a badly suppressed smile. "Come, it's getting late and you both are in desperate need of a bath."

Aragorn easily fell in step next to her, while Gandalf lingered behind. Surprisingly silent. It was odd to be the one who was fully comfortable and at ease, instead of Gandalf. "Has Thranduil seen him yet?"

He saw Gandalf tense out of the corner of his eye, but Avaleina just shook her head, "No. It's been a busy day for him, he hasn't left the council room since early morning."

"Is Legolas home?"

Again, she shook her head. "No. He wasn't supposed to be home for another week, but Farlen left this morning to go relieve him of his posted command when we noticed you approaching the forest."

She got that slightly distracted look in her eyes that he had come to realize meant the Silvan elves were communicating with their tree's. "He should be home in a few hours," She frowned at nothing in particular, "He got distracted by something on the way back."

And then she focused back on Aragorn, "He's eager to investigate Gollum."

Aragorn found himself laughing, "Tell him that he shouldn't be."

"Oh, I have," Avaleina assured them, turning them down their third staircase until they reached the floor that held the living spaces. She stopped outside one of the bedrooms on the far reaches, "Mithrandir, this is yours."

"Thank you."

Without ceremony, she swept away, leaving Gandalf to his own devices. Aragorn shrugged helplessly at him once and continued to follow his guide down the hall, down several more twisted hallways.

"He bit me, you know."

Aragorn knew very well who 'he' meant, but still he asked with mock shock, "Legolas?"

She laughed a little and shook her head at him in mild exasperation, "Your creature."

He was painfully reminded of every single time he had nearly lost a finger to Gollum, or all the other gnaw marks he had somehow forced himself to inflict. "Yes. He does that."

She stopped outside another door, one that was only a few doors down from Legolas and Thranduil's doors. "Is it a favor for you, Estel?"

"I think its a favor for all of Middle Earth."

Avaleina laughed again loud and clear enough that it rang out in several directions, "And since when has anything or anybody in middle earth cared about us?"

He was used to the Silvan elves saying such seemingly callous things. But in the end, in all of his personal experiences, they were just words. They would do anything they could to help those around, as long as it didn't cost them heavily.

And then, sometimes, even when it did.

"Have a bath, eat some food, get some rest. Legolas will come and wake you before he visits the creature."

**. **

Aragorn wasn't surprised when it ended up being Galion that came to wake him, and not Legolas. He answered all his questions m without being asked, "He got too curious, and the creature was closer than you were."

He was wearing the same clothes the Woodland Realm always gave him, which Aragorn had come notice endearingly meant somebody (probably Galion) packed them away every time he left for the next time he came.

For such a loud people, they were very subtle at times.

They turned down the first set of eight stairs Aragorn knew he knew he would have to go down to reach the dungeon. Where the Woodland Realm kept dark creatures away from their population.

Or probably in Gollum's case, where they wouldn't hear his continuous screaming.

"Legolas just didn't want to do all of these stairs." Aragorn accused openly to Galion on their fourth flight, knowing well that Legolas would have much-preferred climbing up and down the roots or vines.

Aragorn preferred not to fall to an untimely death.

Gollum's shrieking grew louder.

Galion winced as a particularly high note cascaded up the stairs. Now past two separate sets thick doors to trap noise. "Sometimes, Eru's gifts feel more like a curse than others."

"It's a terrible enough sound with mortal ears."

They passed through one more set of doors, the miserable-looking guards on either side of the door held it open without a word.

Gollum was the only one occupying a set of sixteen cells. What they might ever need sixteen cells for, down here, Aragorn didn't want to know.

There were no plants in this room. None at all. He couldn't remember another room he had not seen some sort of growth.

There was a long wooden table pushed against one wall facing all of the doors to the prisons. Legolas sat atop it and leaned against the stone wall behind him, plugging both ears.

Avaleina stood beside his legs, elbows and part of her chest resting across his upper legs, ears similarly plugged.

Even to him, in such an echoing room, it felt like his ears might bleed.

Gollum continued to shriek.

Talk complete and on to the next, Galion vanished without a word back out the door.

Legolas waved him over with an elbow, so that he wouldn't have to unplug his ears.

They had tied a harness around Gollum and tied it to an iron ring in the center of the cell ceiling, and all the space he could reach in his leash had been padded. Both were made from fabrics of low enough quality it could have only been completely void of elvish influence.

Dead fish, bread, smoked meat, roasted nuts, and even several bugs littered the parameters of his space. All had probably been attempts at feeding him on the Silvan's behalf.

The door opened again and Legolas and Ava wailed simultaneously, "Make it stop!"

And then Thranduil appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He glanced at Aragorn only briefly on the way past to Legolas and Avaleina, where he stopped silently.

She unplugged her ears to display her arms, both with several bite marks on them. Legolas moved his own hands to plug her ears while Thranduil inspected them, sacrificing himself to the sound.

After he was satisfied, Thranduil stalked to the cage door and ripped it open easily. The sense of his absolute impatience was enough to fill every ounce of space.

Gollums stopped screaming.

Thranduil's glare tended to have that effect on anything it was directed towards.

To Aragorn surprise, Thranduil seemed to have come to stand well within Gollums - teeth - striking distance.

Unsurprisingly, Gollum made use of this advantage, and he lunged forward like a rabid dog.

Thranduil stuck out a hand so it was the only thing Gollum would be able to reach, willfully letting it be chewed upon for about three seconds, and then he clenched it into a fist.

His held it in a manner that it trapped Gollum on if like a fish on a hook: It was too big for him to bit down with any force, but his teeth prevented him from fitting Thranduil's knuckles back out.

"Go ahead and bite me then," Thranduil said with a laugh.

And Gollum certainly did try, fruitlessly.

Once he realized how well and truly stuck he was, panic began to overtake the small creature.

"Now, if I release you, are you going to have a civilized conversation with me about why exactly you're screaming?"

Gollum's eyes just narrowed with silent accusations.

"You and I both know the places you've been, if we're such great displeasure to you, and you would prefer I release you to Dul Guldor my people and I will happily oblige. Your shrieking is tiresome, and I haven't been sleeping well these past few centuries."

Aragorn heard Legolas snort with amusement and Ava covered her mouth with a hand to stifle a giggle.

"If I remove my hand and you try to bite me again, I'll break your jaw. Nod so I know you understand."

Gollum just stared.

"If you want to act like you're dumb, I will treat you like you at dumb, but I truly don't think you would enjoy that. Do you understand me or not?"

This time, Gollum nodded as best he could.

"Good."

And then Thranduil relaxed his hand and Gollum shot away as far as his leash would allow.

Aragorn expected a string of crude words to come spilling out of the creature, but he was silent. Still leaning as far as he could away looking both deeply aghast and affronted. As if he wasn't the one who has been chewing on the other like a dog toy.

The snickering next time Aragorn continued, hushed whispers too quiet for his mortal ears to pick up had both younger elves in silent hysterics.

Thranduil turned back to the two of them, letting Gollum stew in his own discomfort. And give him another chance to bite, which he didn't. "This is hardly the same situation, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. The two of you are delusional."

Aragorn clearly heard the amusement in the Kings voice, but had also seen enough people flounder through conversation with him to know that, apparently, most people didn't.

Avaleina and Legolas erupted with even more badly suppressed laughter, and Thranduil turned back to Gollum, this time crouching down to be closer to eye level. "Are you ready to have a civilized conversation with me yet?"

"Not with so many eyes. They're too bright, yes they is, precious. Too bright."

Thranduil waved a hand towards the table without looking, Avaleina stood and Legolas hopped off the table.

Aragorn knew a dismissal when he saw one, and followed them up the stairs.

**.0 **

Aragorn was still in the kitchen, eating late night snacks and making pleasant conversation when Thranduil out of nowhere appeared. Crown and formal robed having been discarded elsewhere. It was not often Aragorn saw the Elven King so plain.

He and Legolas just looked all the more alike because of it.

Aragorn had somehow managed to end up sitting next to Legolas, and so Thranduil turned down a chair and placed it on the ground across the table from him and next to Avaleina.

"Hello and welcome to our fireside gossip session, you're a few hours late but I'll let it slide this time." Avaleina said to him with a smile, "Estel was just telling us all the news from Imladris we missed."

"Elladan fell off a horse and dislocated a shoulder," Legolas supplied without being asked, "Which I, personally, plan to never forget for my entire life so that I can make the _perfect _joke about it."

"A worthy pursuit of your time, my leaf." Thranduil said to his son with the touch of a smile, before turning his attention to Ava's arms, "Let me see."

She offered them willingly, and he unraveled the bandages Legolas had treated and wrapped only a few hours ago. Aragorn had never seen such a shallow wound heal so slowly on an elf before. Nor look so red and swollen, and appear to cause her discomfort.

Thranduil turned her arms this way and that in the light, much more thoroughly than he had in the prison. His touch possessing the same tenderness one might expect from an experienced healer.

Satisfied, he let go and briefly looked back to Legolas, "The cream please, little leaf."

He slid the jar across the table.

Thranduil opened it with ease, and gently began the work of applying it to all of it to the individual tooth marks. The smell reminded him closely of the same treatments he had smelt Thranduil applying to Legolas skin the last time he had come.

"So, Estel." Thranduil said, dapping another finger into the jar with methodical practice, and rubbing it gently onto another wound, "Tell me how this creature has come to my halls. And why I should let him remain here, when he's tainted with so much darkness it's literally poisonous to my people."

He knew Gandalf would have greatly preferred as subtle of details as possible for most of this tail, if not for the safety of the hobbits, but his own personal safety more so.

But Aragorn had long since learned that if you wanted honesty, trust, and respect from the Woodland Realm, then you needed to show it in equal measure. There really was no way to explain this situation with tact, and so he did not try. He opted instead for Thranduil's preferred method of communication: Blunt honesty.

"The magic ring that the hobbit Bilbo Baggins used to free the Thorin's Company is thought to be exactly the ring everyone doesn't want it to be. He took it from Gollum in a Goblin cave in the mountains. And while I admit he's one of the most deplorable creatures I've met, I think it would be best that he remain hidden from any other eyes or ears that could see him."

Thranduil showed absolutely no reaction to the words, and just continued to calmly apply the cream. Legolas and Avaleina shot near frantic looks at one another over the silent table.

And Aragorn waited.

"And where is the ring now?"

Thranduil would be able to tell if he lied. Thranduil could always tell.

Trust, honesty, and respect.

"With Bilbo's nephew, hopefully on its way to Imladris."

Avaleina had grown so still she might have actually been frozen. Thranduil continued to apply the cream to her arms undisturbed. Legolas checked that they were alone out of reflex.

"I see." He glanced briefly at Avaleina's face, and then back to his work on her arms, "We might be elves, but we still need to breathe, sweet child."

She took a shaky breath. And then another. Legolas, for once, didn't seem to have anything to say.

"I don't know what to do with him, King Thranduil, and I'm asking for your help. He is a pitiful creature, but one that does require pity instead of the scorn I know he would find with any other realm. Here, I know he will find no cruelty, only compassion."

Thranduil wiped his hands on a nearby dish towel and began to re-wrap her arms, "If you were going for an inspiring speech, it's a tad short. For further reference, another sentence or two would be just fine. Since I hear you have a condition for the Evenstar's hand."

"Ada." Legolas chided, as Aragorn tried fruitlessly to not turn bright red from toe to tip.

To his credit, Thranduil kept his voice void of any amusement he might have gotten from guests' obvious embarrassment, "But it was convincing enough. I will keep your foul little creature for you, Estel."

He finished wrapped the bandages and finally turned his full attention to Aragorn. Who always felt a small part of himself wishing he didn't have it whenever he did. "I thought it might be amusing to listen to Mithrandir stammer out a request with only the information he deemed important enough for me to know. But think I've heard enough stammering for today, after my conversation with Gollum."

And then he stood from the table, and turned the chair back up with the utmost politeness. "Tell him he need not speak to me about it. I would send Galion with the message, but I think Mithrandir would much rather I not do that."

"I think so too." Aragorn agreed.

"As always, Estel, you are welcome to stay as long as you like, but I would prefer Mithrandir out of my woods within the week. He had a tendency to meddle, and I would rather he not be given the opportunity."

"Of course."

And then he turned back to Avaleina, "You and Tern spoke to Ferdan about switching your patrol routes until your arms heal?"

"Yes. I'm going to be away to the eastern border for two weeks instead of one next month, and tomorrow I'll start on his rotation close to home, and he'll get two next month to keep our rotations the same.."

"Very well. Goodnight, you three. I am going to bed." He bent to kiss Legolas on the top of the head.

Legolas kissed him on the cheek in return, "Goodnight, Ada."

He placed a comforting hand atop Avaleians head to gain her full attention, "Remember to keep the bandages on, Ava, until you get home from the forest tomorrow."

"Yes, my king. Of course."

"And if you happen to see Mandos in the forest tomorrow what do you do?"

"Politely but firmly ignore him. Plug my ears and hum loudly if I have to."

"Good." Satisfied, he made for the stairs to the higher levels, "Do not keep the boy up long, the two of you may not be at the mercy of sleep, but mortals are."

**.0.**

Words couldn't quite explain how thankful he was that it was Aragorn on the other side of the door late in the morning, and not Galion. No message had been sent to tell him when Thranduil would have time to speak with him, and so had spent most of the morning trying to come up with a satisfying argument.

"Good morning." The human said brightly, strolling into his room with ease.

"If you say so, I've been thinking all morning about ways to convince-"

"Oh." Aragorn interrupted, "I forgot you didn't know. He's already agreed to keep Gollum here."

Gandalf couldn't make his mouth work for a few seconds. They hadn't even been at the stronghold for more than twelve hours, and Aragorn had already managed to see Thranduil but also convince him to do something far outside the realm of his personal interest? It seemed almost so good it was absurd.

"What? How?"

Aragorn shrugged. "I asked him nicely."

"You asked King Thranduil nicely, and he just agreed? For no other reason?"

"I would have no way of knowing if it were for any other reasons or not, but I do know that all I did was ask nicely and he said yes."

"Of all the things I thought I would see in my time on Arda… this was certainly not one of them."

**0.0.0. **

**This was just supposed to be a short little addition... and it turned into a near 8000-word monstrosity instead. I have no regrets. **

**Can't wait to hear all of your thoughts! **


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